‘Under-utilized’ govt schools in Indore may make room for parking lots

In an innovative exchange deal, the Indore Smart City Development Limited (ISCDL) proposes to acquire land of the “under-utilized” government schools to construct multi-level parking facilities, promising high-tech makeovers for some of these institutes in return.

The dilapidated condition of a government school building near Krishnapura Chhatri square. (HT File Photo)

In an innovative exchange deal, the Indore Smart City Development Limited (ISCDL) proposes to acquire land of the “under-utilized” government schools to construct multi-level parking facilities, promising high-tech makeovers for some of these institutes in return.

A senior ISCDL official told the Hindustan Times that a survey was being carried out within the area where a smart city project is being implemented to identify the government schools which were in a dilapidated condition and operating with a very few students and teachers.

“The plan is to construct several multi-level parking facilities around the smart city area, by taking over the land of these under-utilized schools,” the official said.

In return ISCDL would give some of these schools a facelift by introducing digital classrooms and other facilities, the official added.

As part of the ambitious project, the ISCDL also plans to designate some areas within the smart-city jurisdiction exclusively for pedestrian by making them no vehicle zones.

Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) Commissioner Manish Singh said, “We will talk to education department to give us land available with them in the smart city area. We will construct smart schools for them in return.”

In the 742-acre “smart city” area there are several primary and secondary schools which are in pitiable conditions with meager student strength.

“After the completion of the survey, we plan to create digital classrooms, introduce interactive learning methods in some of these schools in the area and shift students there from the nearby under-utilized institutes by amalgamating them,” Singh said.

The ISCDL aims to develop the historic Rajwada area, Sarafa market and Tilak Path into heritage walk space, and restrict entry of vehicles in these localities.

“We want to develop a pollution-free smart city. To do so restricting vehicular movement is a must,” he said.